Some dog food has toxic levels of vitamin D, FDA warns

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Dec. 3, 2018, 11:14 PM GMT / Updated Dec. 4, 2018, 1:26 PM GMT

By Maggie Fox

Several popular brands of dog food have up to 70 times the safe levels of vitamin D and could kill dogs who eat them, the Food and Drug Administration warned Monday.

The makers of at least 11 different labels or brands of dog food are recalling their products and people need to check before feeding any dry food to their dogs, the FDA said.

“Testing found that samples of the dog food contained excessive, potentially toxic amounts of vitamin D. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for dogs, but very high amounts can cause serious health problems like kidney failure or death,” the FDA said.

“Excess vitamin D in the diet can cause vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling and weight loss. Vitamin D at toxic levels can cause kidney failure and death. Pet owners whose dogs have been eating the recalled brands and are showing these symptoms should contact their veterinarians.”

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Recalled brands include Nutrisca, Natural Life, Evolve, Sportsman’s Pride, Abound (sold at Kroger), and Nature’s Promise (sold at Giant and Stop & Shop), as well as others, the FDA said. There’s a full list on the FDA website.

All the brands buy their products from the same manufacturer. “Pet owners should discontinue feeding these recalled products,” the FDA said. “At this time, the only pet products that have been impacted are food made for dogs.”

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The affected products, which include grain-free, chicken, lamb, rice and other flavors, come in various sizes.

“FDA scientists have evaluated samples of some of these products, and state and private lab test results indicate that the food contained as much as approximately 70 times the intended amount of vitamin D,” the FDA said.

“If your pet is having symptoms of vitamin D toxicity, contact a veterinarian immediately. Provide a full diet history to your veterinarian. You may find it helpful to take a picture of the pet food label, including the lot number.”

More brands may be named in the recall, the FDA said. It's common for retail chains to buy products from a contract manufacturer and sell them under various brand names.